This mid-tier robovac offers good vacuuming and mopping, the mapping is strong, and it copes well with pet hair. It's less good at getting up to the edges of rooms and the object avoidance can be unreliable, though.

❌ You have an open plan home: The Narwal app won't let you demarcate open plan spaces into 'rooms'.

That's exactly in line with my personal experience – while I can see that my robot vacuum's cleaning power is not as strong as a manual vac, the fact that it allows for regular, basically effort-free vacuuming means it has still had a massive positive impact on my cleaning routine.

However, the software was still buggy at time of review, and we'd also expect higher suction for the premium price.

The X40 can also clean its washboard, something the Roborock can’t. That area can get quite grungy, so it needs a cleaning every few weeks. The X40 has AI-powered smart dirt detection that uses its cameras to identify spills like milk or particularly dirty areas.

Right now, the best robot vacuum on the market is the Eufy X10 Pro Omni. On test, this combination robot vacuum and mop was almost perfect, acing our cleaning tests and delivering accurate navigation too.

We definitely noticed this when testing the Shark PowerDetect 2-in-1 since our household has both a curious toddler and a cat that complicated things a bit—both were fascinated by the machine when it ran. That said, if toys are left out, this vacuum will

What to Look for in a Robot Vacuum Manual Empty or Self-Emptying: Which is Best? Some robot vacuums have dust cups that you need to empty into a garbage can manually, and others have a self-emptying feature. The first type is easy to empty (just remove the dust cup, take it to a garbage can, and shake it out). You'll typically need to do this every few days, so it can get tedious. Robot Top 3 Automatic Vacuum Cleaners vacuums with a self-emptying feature require a lot less work, because their charging stations have built-in dust bags that can take several weeks (or even months) to fill up. Picture this: at the end of the robot vacuum's cleaning cycle, it will dock itself and empty the recent collection into the larger tower chamber, and then it's ready to go for the next scheduled cleaning. When the bag is full, all you have to do is remove it from the charging station, throw it away, and replace it with a new one. In many ways, this is ideal, especially if you or someone in your household suffers from allergies, because there's less chance of dust getting into the air. The one downside to this convenience is that the emptying process is often much louder than the robot vacuum's normal noise level, so it might disrupt your household. This feature also tends come with newer and more technologically advanced models (which can often be pricier). Our best features pick is one great option that includes this feature. Smart Mapping Matters Back when they were new to the market, basic robot vacuums used a randomized cleaning method, changing direction based on an algorithm and if they bumped into anything.

They also can't really match manual vacuums for suction power, so while they can help you stay on top of dust build-up, most people will want to supplement their work with the occasional deep clean with a manual vacuum.

This automatic vacuum runs up to 100 minutes on hardwood floors, ensuring whole-room coverage during a single cleaning cycle. Its BoostIQ Technology automatically increases suction power within 1.

“For some people, it might make sense to have multiple vacuums for different situations,” says Frank Rizzi, who tests vacuums for CR. “A robotic vacuum can help with maintaining your pristine floors, and a lighter stick can help with quick messes alongside your bigger upright or canister.”

CLEAN FLOORS EVERYDAY - Provides a system of cleaning features and smart sensors that allow the robot to adjust to your unique home and deliver a daily clean.

Its 5,200Pa suction power is impressive on a bot at this price, and ably sucked up Cheerios and dry oatmeal on hard flooring. It left some of the finer dust and debris, as its single bristle / rubber brush isn’t super effective.

At 7 pounds, it’s easy to maneuver around your space and converts to a hand vacuum, making it even more versatile. This Samsung features a digital countdown display that monitors battery life. In our tests, one battery runs for about 97 minutes per charge on the low setting and 18 minutes on high. For more options, see our complete cordless stick vacuum ratings.